Traction apparatus



1,501,120 E. H. KARRER TBACTI ON APPARATUS Filed March 17. 1921INVI'WTUR.

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Patented July 15, 1924.

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EDUAR/D H. .KARRER, OF 1VLIL-WAUKEE WISCONSIN.

TRACTION APPARATUS.

Application filed March 1'7, 1921. Serial No. 453,148.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Enuano H. :KARIIE-R, a citizen of the United States,residing at Milwaukee, county of Milwaukee, and State of Wisconsin, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Traction Apparatus, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to traction apparatus for use in settingfractures, orthopedic work, resetting dislocated parts, and similarwork.

It is customary in prior machines of this type to make them non-portableand relatively bulky so that they may be used only at hospitals or insurgeons offices. They also have the defect, particularly when operatingupon the legs of the patient, of losing their traction as the degree ofabduction increases, sometimes, in fact, even producing a compressioninstead of a tension in extreine angles of abduction.

It is to overcome the above noted defects that the present invention isdesigned and it is theretore .an object of this invention to provide atraction apparatus which is portable; which does not vary its tractionas the degree of abduction is changed; and which allows the patient tobe readily placed upon the apparatus by sliding him on to it in place ofliftinghi-m up and placing him in position.

Further objects are to provide a traction apparatus in which the pivotpoints for the traction bars very closely approximate the normal pivotpoints of the hip joints in which the perineal support folds downwardlyout of the way to allow the positioning of the patient thereon; and inwhich a sliding back rest allows the plaster cast to extend over thewaist-line when it is so desired.

Funther objects are to provide a traction apparatus in which removablepins are provided for attaching the .pat'ients foot to the traction barsso as to permit the forming of the plaster cast about the patient whilehe is in position upon the machine and the subsequent withdrawal of thepins without disturbing such cast; to provide a traction apparatus inwhich a back rest .and head hest inay be adjusted longitudinally, and inwhich such rests may be ad.- justed by means of varying thiclmesses ofpadding; .and to provide an apparatus which may be quickly disassembledand} packed in a relatively small space.

' tion of the upper end of bracket 16.

The device comprises a central portion 1 upon which is carried the seator hip receiving portion 2. A central standard 3 is loosely socketed inthe portion 2 and in the portion 1 and may be removed by lifting itdirectly upwardly.therefrom. A perineal support 1 is pivotally mountedat 5 upon the portion at a point slightly off the central axis of thecentral support 3 so that when the standard 3 is removed the support dis folded downwardly in the position indicated in Fig. 3. extendsoutwardly from the central portion of the support 1 and may convenientlybe formed integrally therewith. Upon each of these arms, a traction armis pivoted as indicated at 8 and may be swung either inwardly oroutwardly as illustrated in dotted and full lines in Fig. 1. In order tohold these traction bars in adjusted angular position, a link 9 isprovided for each arm. These links are pivotally joined to the centralportion 1 by means of the pivot pin 10 which, as may be seen from Fig.2, passes thru relatively widely spaced ears formed integrally with thelink 9 and corresponding ears formed integrally with the centralsupport 1. The outer ends of the links 9 each carry a sleeve or collar11 which is pivotally joined to the link as indicated at 12. This collaris arranged to slide freely upon the corresponding traction rod and isadapted to be clamped in any desired adjusted position by means of thehand screw 18, thereby setting either or both traction bars at anydesired degree of abduction. The collars are each Provided with adownwardly extending pedestal 11 provided with an enlarged foot portionadapted to contact with the surface of the floor or table upon which thedevice is supported. It is to be noted that the pivot points 8 aresubstantially at the normal hip pivot point of the body and that thearms 7, therefore, pivot and swing about a point substantially aligningwith the normal pivot point of the hip, thereby producing no angularchange be- A pair of arms 6* tween the traction bars and the leg of thepatient when the machine is in operation and when the bars are moved.

The traction bars '7 are hollow and each telescopically receives a rod14: which may be moved inwardly or outwardly to secure the desiredlength and may be locked in ad justed position by means of the handscrew 15. The outer end of the rod has rigidly attached thereto anormally upstanding bracket 16 which, at its upper end, slidablyreceives a threaded stem 17. It is to be noted that a pin 18 extendsdownwardly into a keyway 18 formed in the rod 17 so as to preventrotation of such rod relative to the bracket 16. Any other desiredmethod of securing this splined connection may be employed. A wingedlock nut 20 is threaded upon thestem 17 and is adapted to bear againstthe corresponding face of the upper journaled portion 21 of the bracketto draw the rod real-wardly as desired. The forward end of the steml'?has an enlarged head 22 which bears against the forward surface of aforked bracket 23 and provides a swivel joint therewith. A wing lock nut24 is threaded upon the stem 17 and is adapted to clamp the bracket 23in any desired angular adjustment relative to a vertical line. Theforked bracket is provided with a pair of cylindrical openings intowhich loosely slide a pair of normally vertical pins 25 whichlatter maybe provided adjacent their 1 upper ends with manipulating handles 26.

with reference to a vertical line.

Pins 25 may therefore be adjusted to and from the central portion of themachine and also their axes may be adjusted angularly The foot of thepatient is adapted to be bound to these pins either directly by means ofmuslin bands passed over the foot of the patient or by bandspassed overthe shoe of the patient. It is to be noted in Fig. 2 that the tractionbars 7 are set at different relative angles so as to more clearly showthe arrangement of pins. and brackets.

A. central standard 3 carries an adjustably mounted collar 27 which maybe locked in any desired position by means of a hand screw28. Thiscollar is provided with outwardly projecting arms 29 in which arepivotally mounted a pair of supporting outwardly extending rods 30.These rods 30 may therefore be adjusted vertically with reference to theseat portion 2 and may be readily swung to any desired angular positionto correspond with the position of the corresponding traction bar; Theserods are adapted to receive and carry slings from which the legs of thepatient may be susiended at any desired point along their length.

A back rest 31 is carried by a pair of relatively short verticalstandards 32 which socket in a cross member 33. A pair of rods 34Eextend rearwardly from the cross member 33 and slide in correspondingopenings formed in the body portion 1 of the apparatus so that therelative position of the back rest 31 may be varied. Horizontal rods 35extend forwardly from the supporting standards 32 and slidably carry anadjustable head rest 36.

The operation of this device is as follows. The central standard 3 isremoved and the perineal support 4. folded downwardly as indicated inFig. 3. \Vhile the apparatus is in this position, the patient is slippedon to the machine either from the side or from the-f0rward portionthereof as there are no upwardly projecting interfering members. Thus,the machine may be placed on a table beside the bed of the patient orbeside the wheel carriage and the patient removed sidewise and placedupon the machine with a minimum of handling of the patient. After thepatient is in position upon the machine, the perineal support is turnedto the position indicated in Fig. 2 and the vertical standard 3 slippedinto its socket, thereby locking the perineal support against pivotalaction. The legs of the patient are slung from the rods 30 by anysuitable means, as for example, fabric bandages. His feet are thenstrapped to the pins 25 by passing muslin or any suitable flexiblematerial around such pins and around the corresponding foot, hisshoulders and head, of course, resting upon the supports 31 and 36respectively. In this position, the pins 25 are moved until they occupythe desired angle and then looked in such position by means of the locknut 24. Thereafter the tensioning nuts 20 are operated to place the legsof the patient under the desired tension. It is to be noted that theangle of the patients legs may be varied by swinging the traction barsinwardly or outwardly without fear of varying the tension, as the pivotpoints 8 align with the pivot points of the hipsof the patient. It willalso be noted that the back rest and head rest may be slid forwardlywhen it is desired to secure freedom for manipulation about the patientships or waist.

After the operation or setting is complete, a plaster cast may be formedabout the patients legs without removing him from the machine. It is tobe noted that this cast may extend over the waistline of the patient ifdesired as the back rest may be moved forwardly as previously stated.After the plaster has set, it is merely necessary to withdraw the pins26 upwardly out of their sockets to disengage the patients feet from themachine. Thereafter the central standard 3 is withdrawn, the perinealsupport t folded downwardly, and the patient slid sidewise or endwiseoff of the machine.

then it is desired to disassemble and pack the apparatus for shipment,the central standard is withdrawn, the rods 30 removed from the collar27, perineal support folded downwardly, the traction bars collapsed, and

the brackets 16 rocked downwardly. The head rest and shoulder rest arelifted upwardly causing the pins 32 to slide out of their correspondingsockets. The rods 34 and the cross piece 38 thenslid inwardly until thecross piece 33 contacts with the central portion 1. In this condition,the machine will occupy a very small space and may be readily packed andshipped.

It will be seen that a traction apparatus has been provided which isportable; which may be placed upon any desired relatively flat surface,such as the floor or the table, or upon the floor of the ambulance, ifnecessitated. It will also be seen that an apparatus has been providedin which the degree of abduction may be varied without varying thetraction, and in which a plaster cast may be formed while the patient isupon the machine, and may be readily detached from enga 'ement with themachine.

I claim:

1. A traction apparatus comprising a body portion having a base adaptedtorest upon a support, a seat carried by said base portion, a pair oftraction bars pivotally joined to said base portion at spaced pointsapproximately aligning with the hip pivot points of the patient, meansfor adjusting the angular position of said traction bars and lockingthem in such adjusted position, means carried by the traction barsadapted to rest upon the support, removable pins adj ustably carried bysaid traction bars and adapted to be strapped to the feet of a patient,and movable means for retaining the patient against longitudinal motion,said means being movable with respect to said body portion and seat andpivotally attached with respect to said seat, whereby a plaster cast maybe formed about the legs of the patient while they are in an extendedposition and whereby the patient and cast may be readily removed fromthe machine by removing said pins and moving said retaining means out ofthe way.

2. A traction apparatus comprising a body portion, a base carriedthereby adapted to support a patient, a hingedly mounted perinealsupport carried by said base, a vertical standard adapted to socket insaid base portion and toretain the perineal support in position, rodscarried by said standard and adapted to support the weight of the legsof a patient, traction bars pivotally joined at spaced points to saidbody portion, means for extending said traction bars to a roughapproximation of the desired length, means operatively supported fromsaid traction bars and adapted to be strapped to the patients feet, andmeans for accurately adjusting the position of said last mentioned meansto produce the desired tensioning of the legs of the patient.

3. In a traction apparatus, a base, traction bars pivotally joined atspaced points to said base, links, each of said links being pivotallyjoined at one end to said base and slidably and pivotally connected atthe other end to one of the traction bars, and means for securing saidlinks against sliding movement relative to the traction bars, wherebythe traction bars may be adjusted angularly relative to the base andsecured in such angular adjustment. V

4:. In a traction apparatus; a base; traction bars pivotally o-ined atspaced points to said base; sleeves, each slidably carried by one of thebars; links, each of which is pivotally joined at one end to said baseand at the other end to one of the sleeves; and means for locking thesleeves in position upon the traction bars.

EDUARD H. KARRER.

